The operation of power generators at various types of plants (e.g., foundries, metal processors, and manufacturing plants) can be improved in a number of ways, particularly during times of peak demand. Utility companies generally charge varying rates for power and/or energy (e.g., electricity) throughout a day, week, month, and year. For instance, in the southern regions of the United States, electricity supplied during the middle of the day in the summer costs more than electricity provided at other parts of the day in the summer. As a result, some larger purchasers of power and/or energy have installed individually owned and operated power generation equipment (e.g., generators) to supplement (and, in some cases, replace) the power and/or energy provided by the local utility company. The management and operation of these individually owned and operated power generation equipment, however, remain a concern, especially when the management and operation are viewed in conjunction with the power and/or energy supplied by the local utility company, the cost of the power and/or energy supplied by the local utility company, and the use of the power and/or energy by the plant. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, there is a need to have the ability to control the operation of power generation equipment to supply part of the electrical demand during these certain time periods. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the power consumption over a twenty-four (24) hour period of a plant having at least one furnace and at least one generator when the operation and energy consumption of the furnace(s) and the generator(s) is not actively monitored, managed, and/or otherwise controlled. Note the unpredictable nature of the curve, which is due, in part, to the fact that traditional techniques simply focus on turning equipment "on" and "off," a technique commonly called "duty cycling," to reduce the average demand registered on the utility meter. Consequently, traditional demand controllers cannot take advantage of the variable nature of equipment using the power and/or energy.